How to Fund the Noble Enterprises of Representative Government

By Chic Hollis – Philosophical Musings

To tax or not to tax, that is the question:

Whether ’tis nobler in the minds of men and women

To tax and spend the money for the needs of modern society

Or borrow and never pay off the balance. Aye, there’s the rub!

For once you have begun to give some aid to fools and dullards,

To look out for the sick and lazy, you have begun the Welfare State.

To tax, but what?

The income of the rich and poor?

The value added to products and whatever?

The farms and land holdings of citizens and yokels?

Or borrow? From banks?

From sinister Asian investors and “reputable” loan sharks?

From people who have savings? Or from those who don’t?

For who would bear the scorn of unpaid creditors seeking late fees,

The fear of civic bankruptcy and the laws’ delay in settling debts,

The limitations of next year’s budget and the wrangling over financing,

The shame of running out of revenue to pay for pork-barrel projects?

“Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,

And thus the native hue of resolution

Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought,

And enterprises of great pitch and moment…”

Are stymied and delayed by lack of action

And the squabbling of partisan legislatures.

To tax? Oh, yes! And to borrow? Why not?

Isn’t that the right divine of democratic government?!

Chic Hollis is a longtime drummer and motorcyclist, who served in the US Air Force in North Africa. Married 4 times with 5 children born in 5 different countries on four continents, Chic is a politically independent citizen of the world interested in helping Americans understand the reality that is life overseas where many intelligent, educated, and industrious people aren’t as privileged as we are in the US. He studied Latin, Greek, Russian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German and ran several large companies. Sadly, Chic Has left this planet and we miss him very much, but we are very pleased to display his amazing writing works.